1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to various aspects of a reclosable pouch, a closure mechanism for the pouch, and an end-stomp for the closure mechanism.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
A slider applied to closure elements on a reclosable flexible storage pouch can provide a quick and easy way to close and reopen the pouch. However, it is not uncommon that a user may provide excessive force in actuating the slider and may inadvertently pull the slider off of the closure elements, either transversely across the closure elements or longitudinally off an end of the closure elements. It is known that transverse slider pull-off may be inhibited with guide rails and longitudinal slider pull-off may be inhibited with end-stomps. End-stomps may also provide an additional seal to a slider-actuated closure mechanism proximate to an end thereof.
For example, one slider-actuated closure mechanism utilizes a permanent seal to provide additional sealing at an end of a pair of complementary closure elements in an occluded state. A permanently sealed region is disposed at a region of the complementary closure elements bounded by an end seam. The sealed region is disposed below an unsealed region of the complementary closure elements at a top corner thereof. A slider separator finger is accommodated by the unsealed region when the complementary closure elements are in the occluded state. Another slider-actuated closure mechanism has portions of first and second closure elements that are melted together to form end seals thereon. Each of the end seals is supplemented by a second seal that is discontinuous with the end seal and is disposed in close proximity to a bottom edge of the first and second closure elements. Each of the second seals extends upwardly to a point between the bottom edge and a top edge of the first and second closure elements.
One slider-actuated closure mechanism that inhibits slider pull-off has asymmetric first and second closure elements. A slider is straddlingly attached over the closure elements and has asymmetric inwardly turned retaining flanges that extend beneath asymmetric shoulders of the closure elements to inhibit slider pull-off transverse to the closure elements. Another such slider-actuated closure mechanism has a slider that has in-turned shoulders that straddle ridges on outer surfaces of the closure elements to inhibit transverse slider pull-off.
A further pull-off inhibiting slider-actuated closure mechanism has a slider that is straddlingly disposed on rib and groove closure elements such that in-turned shoulders on ends of sidewalls of the slider are positioned beneath a bottom side of the closure elements to inhibit vertical (i.e., transverse) slider pull-off. Laterally transverse protruding end-stomps are integrally molded into ends of the rib and groove closure elements. Each of the end-stomps is produced by fusing the rib and groove elements together proximate the opposite ends thereof with a known ultrasonic crushing mechanism to form a thinned portion juxtaposed with a rounded or arrowhead shaped thickened portion having lateral (i.e., horizontally transverse) protrusions. The slider has a top wall from which depends a pair of side walls that are blocked from moving past each end-stomp by the lateral protrusions thereon to inhibit longitudinal slider pull-off.
Another slider-actuated closure mechanism has end-stomps that are formed by ultrasonically sealing opposed walls of the closure mechanism such that a top edge of each end-stomp extends vertically beyond an exterior lateral edge of the closure mechanism proximate to the ends thereof. The top edge of each end-stomp smoothly transitions or ramps down at an obtuse angle to the level of the exterior lateral edge on a side of the end-stomp opposite the corresponding end of the closure mechanism. Each end-stomp is also illustrated to have a plurality of diagonal features running from a pouch interior side of the end-stomp to the top edge of the end-stomp.
Material costs can be an important consideration in the design of components of a slider-actuated closure mechanism. The effectiveness of the above-described arrangements for inhibiting slider pull-off can vary with the strength and quantity of material used to manufacture the components. A particular arrangement may have good slider pull-off resistance when utilized on a relatively expensive and strong material for the slider and the closure mechanisms, for example, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). However, the particular arrangement may have diminished slider pull-off resistance when one or more components is made of relatively less material and/or a relatively less expensive and/or weaker material, for example, polypropylene. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is in some instances to provide an improved arrangement of and end-stomp and slider combination manufactured from relatively less material and/or from the relatively less expensive and/or weaker material that can provide slider pull-off resistance that is comparable to the slider pull-off resistance of known arrangements utilizing relatively more material and/or the relatively expensive and strong material.